Electronic device and method for controlling the electronic device

ABSTRACT

A sensor-integrated display panel including an operation surface for performing an input operation and an image display surface which are formed integrally with a sensor as one piece. A data transfer device supplies the sensor-integrated display panel with a drive signal for driving the sensor and outputs sensing data corresponding to a potential of a sensor signal output from the sensor. A contact electrode is provided in a frame formed around the sensor-integrated display panel to vary the potential of the sensor signal when a conductor touches or does not touch to the frame. An application executing device receives and analyzes the sensing data and generates a signal to select an operating function in accordance with an analysis result.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/183,957 filed Feb. 19, 2014, and is based upon and claims the benefitof priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-073869, filed Mar.29, 2013, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated hereinby reference.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate generally to an electronic deviceand a method for controlling the electronic device.

BACKGROUND

Mobile phones, tablets, personal digital assistants (PDA), small-sizedportable personal computers and the like are popularized. Theseelectronic devices have a display panel and an operation input panelthat is formed integrally with the display panel as one piece.

The operation input panel can detect a touch position on its surfacewhere a user touches, and generates a sensing signal as a change ofcapacitance, for example. The sensing signal is supplied to a touchsignal processing integrated circuit (IC) which is designed to exclusiveuse for the operation input panel. The touch signal processing ICprocesses the sensing signal using a computational algorithm prepared inadvance, and converts the user's touched position into coordinate datathen output it.

As manufacturing technology is developed, the display panel is increasedin resolution and size. Accordingly, the operation input panel isrequired to sense a position with high resolution. The operation inputpanel is also required to process data input thereto at high speeddepending on applications. Furthermore, a device capable of easilychanging an application is desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to anembodiment;

FIG. 2A is a sectional view illustrating a sensor-integrated displaydevice including a display surface or a display panel and an operationsurface or an operation input panel;

FIG. 2B is an illustration of the principle for generating a touchsensing signal from a signal which is output from the operation inputpanel;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating sensor components of theoperation input panel and a method for driving the sensor components;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a data transfer device shown in FIG. 1, andsome of the functions that are realized by different applications in anapplication executing device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5A is a chart showing an example of output timing between a displaysignal and a drive signal for a sensor drive electrode, which are outputfrom the driver shown in FIGS. 1 and 4;

FIG. 5B is a schematic view illustrating the output based on the drivesignal for the sensor drive electrode and a driving state of a commonelectrode;

FIG. 6 is a graph of raw data (sensed data) output from the sensor whenno input operation is performed;

FIG. 7 is a graph of raw data (sensed data) output from the sensor whenan input operation is performed;

FIG. 8A is a simplified diagram showing an example of use of a mobileterminal according to the present embodiment;

FIG. 8B is a simplified diagram showing another example of use of themobile terminal according to the present embodiment;

FIG. 9A is a simplified diagram showing still another example of use ofthe mobile terminal according to the present embodiment;

FIG. 9B is a simplified diagram showing yet another example of use ofthe mobile terminal according to the present embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an application for achieving the examples ofuse of the mobile terminal shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, 9A and 9B;

FIG. 11A is a simplified diagram showing another example of use of themobile terminal according to the present embodiment;

FIG. 11B is a chart of a signal waveform of a signal output from asensor in the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 11A;

FIG. 12A is a simplified diagram showing still another example of use ofthe mobile terminal according to the present embodiment;

FIG. 12B is a block diagram showing a signal output from the sensor inthe mobile terminal shown in FIG. 12A; and

FIG. 13 is a chart illustrating a touch signal and an output signal ofthe sensor in the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 12A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments will be described hereinafter with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

In general, according to one embodiment, there are provided anelectronic device which is flexibly adaptable to a variety ofapplications and which can receive a number of input information for theapplications, and a method for controlling the electronic device.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, asensor-integrated display panel including an operation surface forperforming an input operation and an image display surface which areformed integrally with a sensor as one piece. A data transfer devicesupplies the sensor-integrated display panel with a drive signal fordriving the sensor and outputs sensing data corresponding to a potentialof a sensor signal output from the sensor. A contact electrode isprovided in a frame formed around the sensor-integrated display panel tovary the potential of the sensor signal based on whether a conductortouches the frame or the conductor does not touch the frame. Anapplication executing device receives and analyzes the sensing data andgenerates a signal to select an operating function in accordance with ananalysis result.

According to the embodiment, a number of usage types of inputinformation for, e.g., an input operation and a number of determinationfunctions can be set by the application executing device, and the devicecan easily be used in different and various ways. Moreover, the devicecan be increased in function by associating the frame with touch data.

An embodiment will further be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a mobile terminal 1 according to the embodiment. The mobileterminal 1 includes a sensor-integrated display device 100. The device100 is formed integrally with a display surface (or a display panel) andan operation surface (or an operation input panel or a touch panel) andincludes a display device component 110 and a sensor component 150 forthese surfaces.

The sensor-integrated display device 100 is supplied with a displaysignal (or a pixel signal) from a driver 210, which will be describedlater. When the device 100 receives a gate signal from the driver 210, apixel signal is input to a pixel of the display device component 110. Avoltage between a pixel electrode and a common electrode depends uponthe pixel signal. This voltage displaces liquid crystal moleculesbetween the electrodes to achieve brightness corresponding to thedisplacement of the liquid crystal molecules.

The sensor-integrated display device 100 may be called an inputsensor-integrated display unit, a user interface or the like.

The display device component 110 may employ a liquid crystal displaypanel, a light-emitting element such as an LED, or organic EL. Thedisplay device component 110 can be simply called a display. The sensorcomponent 150 is of a capacitance change sensing type. The sensorcomponent 150 can be called a panel for sensing a touch input, a gestureand the like.

The sensor-integrated display device 100 is connected to an applicationexecuting device 300 via a data transfer device 200.

The data transfer device 200 includes a driver 210 and a sensor signaldetector 250. Basically, the driver 210 supplies the display devicecomponent 110 with graphics data that is transferred from theapplication executing device 300. The sensor signal detector 250 detectsa sensor signal output from the sensor component 150.

The driver 210 and sensor signal detector 250 are synchronized with eachother, and this synchronization is controlled by the applicationexecuting device 300.

The application executing device 300 is, for example, a semiconductorintegrated circuit (LSI), which is incorporated into an electronicdevice, such as a mobile phone. The device 300 complexly performs aplurality of functions, such as Web browsing and multimedia processing,using software with an OS.

These application processors perform a high-speed operation and can beconfigured as a dual core or a quad core. Favorably, the operation speedis, for example, 500 MHz and, more favorably, it is 1 GHz.

The driver 210 supplies a display signal (a signal into which thegraphics data is converted to an analog signal) to the display devicecomponent 110 on the basis of an application. In response to a timingsignal from the sensor signal detector 250, the driver 210 outputs adrive signal Tx for scanning the sensor component 150. Insynchronization with the drive signal Tx, the sensor component 150outputs a sensor signal Rx and supplies it to the sensor signal detector250.

The sensor signal detector 250 detects the sensor signal, eliminatesnoise therefrom, and supplies the noise-eliminated signal to theapplication executing device 300 as raw reading image data (which may becalled as three-dimensional image data).

When the sensor component 150 is of a capacity sensing type, the imagedata is not only two-dimensional data simply representing a coordinatebut have a plurality of bits (e.g., three to seven bits) which vary withthe capacitance. Thus, the image data can be called three-dimensionaldata including a physical quantity and a coordinate. The capacitancevaries with the distance between a target (e.g., a user's finger) and atouch panel, the variation can be captured as a change in physicalquantity.

Below is the reason that the sensor signal detector 250 of the datatransfer device 200 directly supplies image data to the applicationexecuting device 300, as described above.

The application executing device 300 is able to perform its high-speedoperating function to use the image data for various purposes.

New different applications are applied to the application executingdevice 300 according to user's various desires. The new applications mayrequire a change or a selection of image data processing method, reading(or detection) timing, reading (or detection) format, reading (ordetection) area, and reading (or detection) density depending on thedata processing type.

If only the coordinate information is acquired as in the prior artdevice, the amount of acquired information is restricted. In the deviceof the present embodiment, however, if the raw three-dimensional imagedata is analyzed, for example, distance information as well as thecoordinate information can be acquired.

It is desired that the data transfer device 200 should easily followdifferent operations under the control of applications in order toexpand the functions by the applications. Thus, the device 200 isconfigured to select sensor signal reading timing, a reading area, areading density or the like arbitrarily under the control ofapplications as a simple function. This point will be described later.

The application executing device 300 may include a graphics datageneration unit, a radio interface, a camera-facility interface and thelike.

FIG. 2A is a cross sectional view of a basic structure of thesensor-integrated display device 100 in which the display devicecomponent 110 and sensor component 150, or the display panel andoperation input panel are formed integrally with each other as onepiece.

An array substrate 10 in which a common electrode 13 is formed on athin-film transistor (TFT) substrate 11 and a pixel electrode 12 isformed above the common electrode 13 with an insulation film betweenthem. A counter substrate 20 is arranged opposite to and parallel withthe array substrate 10 with a liquid crystal layer 30 between them. Inthe counter substrate 20, a color filter 22, a glass substrate 23, asensor detecting electrode 24 and a polarizing plate 25 are formed inorder from the liquid crystal layer 30.

The common electrode 13 is served as a drive electrode for a sensor (ora common drive electrode for a sensor) as well as a common electrode fordisplay.

FIG. 2B shows the voltage which is varied from V0 to V1 when aconductor, such as a user's fingertip, is close to an intersectionbetween the common electrode and the sensor drive electrode, the voltageis generated from the intersection and read out through the sensordetecting electrode. When the user's finger is not in contact with thetouch panel, current corresponding to the capacity of the intersection(referred to as a first capacitive element hereinafter) flows accordingto the charge/discharge of the first capacitive element. At this time,the first capacitive element has, for example, potential waveform V0 atone of electrode of the first capacitive element, as shown in FIG. 2B.When the user's finger moves close to the sensor detect electrode, asecond capacitive element is formed by the finger and connected to thefirst capacitive element. In this state, current flows through each ofthe first and second capacitive elements when these elements are drovedand charged/discharged. At this time, the first capacitive element has,for example, potential waveform V1 at the one of electrode, as shown inFIG. 2B, and this potential waveform is detected by a detection circuit.At this time, the potential of the one of electrode of the firstcapacitive element is a divided potential which depends upon the currentflowing through the first and second capacitive elements. Thus, thevalue of waveform V1 is smaller than that of waveform V0. It istherefore possible to determine whether a user's finger is in contactwith a sensor by comparing a sensor signal Rx and a threshold value Vthwith each other.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the sensor component of theoperation input panel and a method for driving the sensor component andshowing a relationship in arrangement between the sensor detectingelectrode 24 and the common electrode 13. The arrangement shown in FIG.3 is one example and thus the operation input panel is not limited toit.

FIG. 4 shows the sensor-integrated display device 100, data transferdevice 200 and application executing device 300 and also shows theinternal components of the data transfer device 200 and applicationexecuting device 300.

The data transfer device 200 mainly includes the driver 210 and thesensor signal detector 250. The driver 210 and the sensor signaldetector 250 can be called an indicator driver IC and a touch IC,respectively. Though they are separated from each other, they can beformed integrally as one chip.

The driver 210 receives display data from the application executingdevice 300. The display data is time-divided and has a blanking period.The display data is supplied to a timing circuit and digital-to-analogconverter 212 through a video random access memory (VRAM) 211 serving asa buffer. In mobile terminal 1, the VRAM 211 may have a capacity of oneframe or smaller.

A display signal SigX indicative of an analog quantity is amplified byan output amplifier 213 and supplied to the sensor-integrated displaydevice 100 for writing it to a display element. The timing circuit anddigital-to-analog converter 212 detects a blanking signal or a blankingperiod and supplies a detected signal to a timing controller 251 of thesensor signal detector 250. The timing controller 251 may be provided inthe driver 210 and called a synchronization circuit.

The timing controller 251 generates a drive signal to drive the sensorduring a given period of the display signal (which may be a blankingperiod of the display signal, for example). The drive signal isamplified by an output amplifier 214 and supplied to thesensor-integrated display device 100.

The drive signal Tx drives the sensor detecting electrode to output thesensor signal Rx from the sensor-integrated display device 100. Thesensor signal Rx is input to an integrating circuit 252 in the sensorsignal detector 250. The sensor signal Rx is compared with a referencevoltage (threshold value) Vref by the integrating circuit 252. If thelevel of the sensor signal Rx is the reference voltage or higher, theintegrated circuit 252 integrates the sensor signal Rx in a capacitorand outputs an integral signal. Then, the sensor signal Rx is reset by aswitch for each detection unit time period, and an analog signal can beoutput based on the sensor signal Rx. The analog signal from theintegrating circuit 252 is supplied to a sample hold andanalog-to-digital converter 253 and converted to digital data. Thedigital data is supplied as raw data to the application executing device300 through a digital filter 254.

The digital data is three-dimensional data (multivalued data) includingboth the detected data and non-detected data of an input operation. Apresence detector 255 operates when the application executing device 300is in a sleep mode and no coordinates of a touched position on theoperating surface are detected. If there is any object close to theoperating surface, the presence detector 255 is able to sense the objectand release the sleep mode.

The application executing device 300 receives and analyzes the digitaldata. In accordance with a result of the analysis, the device 300 isable to output the display data or select an operating function of themobile terminal.

The application executing device 300 is able to expand differentapplications and set an operating procedure of the device, select afunction, generate and select a display signal, select a display signal,and the like. Using a sensor signal output from the sensor signaldetector 250, the device 300 is able to analyze an operating positionthrough coordinate processing. The sensor signal is processed as imagedata and thus three-dimensional image data can be formed by anapplication. The device 300 is also able to, for example, register,erase and confirm the three-dimensional image data. Furthermore, thedevice 300 is able to compare the registered image data with theacquired image data to lock or unlock an operating function.

Upon acquiring the sensor signal, the application executing device 300is able to change the frequency of a drive signal from the timingcontroller 251 to the sensor detecting electrode and control the outputtiming of the drive signal. Accordingly, the device 300 is able toselect a driving area of the sensor component 150 and set the drivingspeed thereof.

Furthermore, the application executing device 300 is also able to detectthe density of the sensor signal and add data to the sensor signal.

FIG. 5A shows an example of a timing chart between the time-divideddisplay data SigX and the sensor drive signal Tx (Tx1-Txn) which areoutput from the data transfer device 200. FIG. 5B schematically showsthat the sensor component 150 including the common electrode and thesensor detecting electrode is two-dimensionally scanned by a commonelectrode Vcom and the sensor drive signal Tx. The common voltage Vcomis applied to the common electrode 13 in order. And the common electrode13 is applied the drive signal Tx to obtain a sensor signal during agiven period of time.

The display data SigX and the sensor drive signal Tx may be suppliedfrom the application executing device 300 to the driver 210 by timedivision via the same bus. Furthermore, the display data SigX and thesensor drive signal Tx can be separated from each other by the timingcircuit and digital-to-analog converter 212. The sensor drive signal Txis supplied to the common electrode 13, described above, via the timingcontroller 251 and the amplifier 214. For example, the timing at whichthe timing controller 251 outputs the sensor drive signal Tx and thefrequency of the sensor drive signal TX can be varied according to aninstruction of the application executing device 300. The timingcontroller 251 is able to supply a reset timing signal to the theintegrating circuit 252 of the sensor signal detector 250 and alsosupply a clock to the sample hold and analog-to-digital converter 253and the digital filter 254.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing an example of raw data output from the sensorwhen no input operation is detected.

FIG. 7 is a graph showing an example of raw data output from the sensorwhen an input operation is detected.

FIGS. 8A and 8B each show an example of use of the mobile terminal 1.The mobile terminal 1 has a display and operation surface 52 that issurrounded by a frame (casing) 51.

On the display and operation surface 52, different images are displayedaccording to applications. In the examples of FIGS. 8A and 8B, differentselection buttons a1-a4, b1-b4, c1-c4, . . . s1-s4 are displayed asimages.

In the example of FIG. 8A, a user touches, for example, the selectionbutton s1 with his or her thumb and selects it. At this time, thedisplay and operation surface 52 indicates that one of the selectionbuttons a1-a4, for example is selectable. Accordingly, display states ofthe selection buttons a1-a4 are changed, highlighted for example, andthe other selection buttons b1-b4 and c1-c4 are displayed in gray, forexample.

In the example of FIG. 8B, a user touches, for example, the selectionbutton s2 with his or her thumb and selects it. At this time, thedisplay and operation surface 52 indicates that one of the selectionbuttons b1-b4, for example is selectable. Accordingly, the selectionbuttons b1-b4 are highlighted and the other selection buttons a1-a4 andc1-c4 are displayed in gray, for example.

As described above, the mobile terminal 1 includes the selectionbuttons. The selection buttons allow a user to select an operating modeor an operating function by one hand. Thus, the user can select anoperating mode or an operating function by the left hand and perform aninput operation by the right hand.

FIG. 9A shows an example of the operation of the mobile terminal 1performed when a drawing application is started. In this example, a usertouches the selection button s1 with his or her thumb. At this time, adrawing line input by, for example, a stylus is displayed thicklyaccording to the drawing application.

FIG. 9B shows an example in which the user touches the selection buttons2 with the thumb. At this time, a drawing line input by, for example, astylus is displayed thinly according to the drawing application.

When the user touches another selection button with his or her leftthumb, a stylus input operation performed by the right hand work as arubber eraser.

The mobile terminal 1 is not limited to the above embodiment. The mobileterminal 1 can be so configured that the user can touch, for example, acoloring selection button by one hand. When the user colors a drawnfigure as shown in FIG. 9B, the coloring can be changed by the operationdescribed with reference to FIGS. 8A and 8B or FIGS. 9A and 9B.

In the mobile terminal 1, the capacity for image data varies accordingto the distance between a target (e.g., a user's fingertip) and thetouch panel and thus the image data can be processed as not onlycoordinate information but also three-dimensional data that indicatesthe variation captured as a variation in physical quantity.

Thus, an application for recognizing a three-dimensional shape as wellas a coordinate, an application for recognizing movement characteristicsof the object when an object moves on the operating surface, or the likecan be used. If these applications are used, a threshold value can beset or varied to capture the three-dimensional image data. Morespecifically, in the mobile terminal 1, three-dimensional image data istransferred to the application executing device, and thethree-dimensional image data can be modified into different forms,adjusted, changed or the like to use, thereby bringing about a number ofadvantages of recognition of three-dimensional distance, recognition ofthree-dimensional shape and the like.

In the mobile terminal 1 described above, a function can be selected,some of the functions can be started or stopped, or a method forcapturing three-dimensional image data can be changed according to aposition on which a user touches. Setting or switching in usage types ofthe three-dimensional image data described above may be set depending onthe combination with a detection signal of a touch (contact) to theframe, which will be described as follows.

FIG. 10 shows a procedure of an operation that is performed by theapplication executing device 300 in order to perform the operationsillustrated in FIGS. 8A through 9B. Coordinate processing is applied tothree-dimensional image data generated from the sensor (step SS1). Inthe coordinate processing, it is determined which selection button isselected (step SS2). In accordance with a result of the determination,an operating mode is determined and a function is selected (step SS3)

FIGS. 11A and 11B show a mobile terminal according to anotherembodiment, in which a function or an operation is selected according towhether a user (human body) touches the frame or not.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, a plurality of conductorcontact electrodes P are arranged in a frame 51 served as a case, forexample. When the mobile terminal is turned on and left for a fixed timeperiod, a conductor (reference potential conductor) of the lowestpotential (usually called a ground potential or a reference potential)is connected to each of the conductor contact electrodes P through aswitch. This switch is controlled by a driver 210.

When the user touches the conductor contact electrodes P (or the userholds the mobile terminal by the left hand, for example) and touches theoperation surface of the mobile terminal with the right hand, the levelof a sensor output signal decreases from V0 to V2 and at this time adifference potential vd becomes relatively high. This is because thereference potential of the mobile terminal in the normal mode is furtherlowered (becomes zero) due to the contact of the human body.

If an application determines the above sensing (the contact of the humanbody), it turns off a switch between the conductor contact electrodes Pand the reference potential conductor, then cuts off the frame contactsensing function. Moreover, the application is able to start anoperation input determination function, and to set a proper status ofuse of the mobile terminal. In the subsequent normal operation, when aninput operation is detected, the sensor output signal corresponds tooutput voltage V1 that is decreased from V0, as described with referenceto FIG. 2B.

FIGS. 12A and 12B show still another embodiment in which a rectangularframe 51 is divided into a plurality of areas 14 a to 14 h and aplurality of conductor contact electrodes P are distributed to the areas14 a to 14 h. In this embodiment, it can be determined what areaincludes a conductor contact electrode P that is in contact with a humanbody. For example, the conductor contact electrodes P from the areas 14a to 14 h are sequentially switched to an active state, and an areawhere a difference voltage dv (see FIG. 11B) is detected is determined.To make the conductor contact electrodes P of the areas 14 a to 14 hactive and inactive in sequence, a switch between the conductor contactelectrodes P and the reference potential conductor has only to be turnedon or off on time-division basis in response to a frame electrodecontrol signal Fv. If a drive signal is supplied when the switch isturned on, a sensor output signal can be generated.

The frame electrode control signal Fv is output from, for example, thedriver 210, as shown in FIG. 12B. The signal output from a frameelectrode served as a sensor is derived as Rx. Rx is data detected byand output from the sensor signal detector 250.

The application executing device 300 includes an electrode controlsignal instruction unit (or a frame potential scanning instruction) foroutputting the frame electrode control signal Fv, a contact positionanalysis unit for analyzing the sensor output signal, and a functionselection unit for selecting a function in accordance with a result ofthe analysis. In order to fulfill the functions of these units, theapplication executing device 300 outputs an instruction on the basis ofthe operating procedure of an application.

FIG. 13 illustrates a signal waveform to describe an example of anoperation of the above embodiment. In FIG. 13, a touch signal is asignal for making areas 14 a to 14 h of a frame active and inactive insequence in response to the frame electrode control signal Fv. Assuminghere that a conductor contact electrode of, e.g., an area 4 g as shownin FIG. 12A is made active and a user touches a position on theoperation surface with his or her right fingertip, a negative potential(applied signal) which is lower than the reference potential is appliedto the position in which the user touches with the fingertip. Therefore,as described with reference to FIG. 11B, a high difference potential dvother than a normal one is generated as Rx, with the result that theapplication executing device 300 is able to recognize that the userholds an area 14 g of a frame 15.

In the mobile terminal, an operating function can be selected inaccordance with a user's holding position by making use of the abovefunctions. For example, it can be determined whether the user is aright-handed person or a left-handed person in accordance with theholding position. An operating mode can be selected according to whetherthe user is a right-handed person or a left-handed person. Furthermore,it can be determined whether the user holds the mobile terminal by bothhands.

When it is determined whether the user is a right-handed person or aleft-handed person, a selection button can be displayed for theright-handed person or the left-handed person. When the user holds themobile terminal by both hands, the operating mode may be changed to acamera shooting mode. When an operating mode is selected in accordancewith the user's holding position, it may be displayed by a message ornotified by voice.

According to the above-described mobile terminal, a time period duringwhich an input operation on the operation surface is detected and a timeperiod during which a user touches the frame can be set on time-divisionbasis. For example, while detecting an input operation, the mobileterminal is able to determine a position of the frame which the usertouches. If the user touches another position thereof, an applicationfor selecting an operating function of the mobile terminal can beemployed.

In the foregoing description, the sensor-integrated display device isconfigured to include a liquid crystal display device as a displaydevice; however, it can be configured to include another display devicesuch as an organic electroluminescence display device. In the exampleshown in FIG. 2, the liquid crystal device is so configured that anarray substrate includes both a pixel electrode and a common electrode,or a lateral electric field (including a fringe electric field) isutilized chiefly in an in-plane switching (IPS) mode, a fringe fieldswitching (FFS) mode or the like. The liquid crystal display device isnot limited to this configuration. At least the pixel electrode can beincluded in the array substrate and the common electrode can be includedin either one of the array substrate and counter substrate. If avertical electric field is utilized chiefly in a twisted nematic (TN)mode, an optically compensated bend (OCB) mode, a vertical aligned (VA)mode or the like, the common electrode is included in the countersubstrate. In other words, the common electrode has only to be arrangedbetween an insulation substrate that constitutes the TFT substrate andan insulation substrate that constitutes the counter substrate.

The names of the blocks and components are not limited to thosedescribed above, nor are the units thereof. The blocks and componentscan be shown in a combined manner or in smaller units. Even though theterm “unit” is replaced with “device,” “section,” “block” and “module,”they naturally fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Eventhough the structural elements in the claims are each expressed in adivided manner or they are expressed in a combined manner, they fallwithin the scope of the present disclosure. The method claim correspondsto the device claim.

The above embodiments of the present disclosure are each described as anexample and do not aim at limiting the scope of the present disclosure.The embodiments can be reduced to practice in different ways, and theirstructural elements can be omitted, replaced and modified in differentways without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. Even thoughthe structural elements are each expressed in a divided manner or theyare expressed in a combined manner, they fall within the scope of thepresent disclosure. Even though the claims are recited as step claims orprogram claims, these claims correspond to the device claims. Theembodiments and their modifications fall within the scope and spirit ofthe disclosure and also fall within the scope of the disclosure recitedin the claims and its equivalents.

While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments havebeen presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit thescope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described hereinmay be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, variousomissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodimentsdescribed herein may be made without departing from the spirit of theinventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intendedto cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope andspirit of the inventions.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic device comprising: asensor-integrated display panel configured to include an operationsurface for performing an input operation and an image display surface,which are formed integrally with a sensor as one piece; a data transferdevice configured to supply the sensor-integrated display panel with adrive signal for driving the sensor and to output sensing datacorresponding to a potential of a sensor signal output from the sensor;a contact electrode configured to be provided in a frame formed aroundthe sensor-integrated display panel to cause the potential of the sensorsignal to vary from a case in which a conductor touches the frame to acase in which the conductor does not touch the frame; and an applicationexecuting device configured to receive and analyze the sensing data andgenerate a signal to select an operating function in accordance with ananalysis result, wherein the frame includes a plurality of areas, thecontact electrode is arranged in each of the areas and driven on a timedivision base, and the application executing device identifies the areasby a variation in the potential of the sensor signal.
 2. The electronicdevice of claim 1, wherein the potential of the sensor signal varieswith the contact electrode in the case in which the conductor touchesthe frame more greatly than the case in which the conductor does nottouch the frame.
 3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein theapplication executing device starts to receive a sensor signalcorresponding to an input operation on to the operation surface, if theanalysis result is a variation in the potential of the sensor signal dueto the contact electrode.
 4. The electronic device of claim 1, whereinthe application executing device outputs an instruction to select anoperating function when the analysis result indicates a variation in theplurality of areas.
 5. A method for controlling an electronic deviceincluding: a sensor-integrated display panel including an operationsurface for performing an input operation and an image display surface,which are formed integrally with a sensor as one piece; a data transferdevice which supplies the sensor-integrated display panel with a drivesignal for driving the sensor and outputs sensing data corresponding toa potential of a sensor signal output from the sensor; a contactelectrode provided in a frame formed around the sensor-integrateddisplay panel to cause the potential of the sensor signal to vary from acase in which a conductor touches the frame to a case in which theconductor does not touch the frame, wherein the frame includes aplurality of areas and the contact electrode being arranged in each ofthe areas; and an application executing device which receives andanalyzes the sensing data and generates a signal to select an operatingfunction in accordance with an analysis result, the method comprising:driving the contact electrode which is arranged in each of the areas ona time division base; identifying the areas by a variation in thepotential of the sensor signal; and outputting an instruction to selectan operating function when the sensor signal due to the contactelectrode is detected.
 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:starting to receive a sensor signal corresponding to an input operationto the operation surface when a sensing signal is output from thecontact electrode.
 7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:changing display data to be supplied to the sensor-integrated displaypanel in accordance with an area identification result.
 8. The method ofclaim 5, further comprising: selecting an operating function inaccordance with an area identification result.